Matching Items (14)
Filtering by
Description
The SolarSPELL is an offline, ruggedized, digital library, created by Dr. Laura Hosman for the U.S. Peace Corps. It has thousands of pieces of educational content that can be accessed through a self-contained Wi-Fi hotspot on the device itself. Currently, there are more than 200 deployed in several Pacific Island nations. After visiting one of these nations, Tonga, in December of 2016, I learned that almost all of the Peace Corps volunteers stationed around the Pacific Islands suffered from a lack of resources due to a variety of reasons. While the SolarSPELL helps to remedy that, the device is lacking classroom activities and resources for creative work and educational drama. Furthermore, for many students in these environments, schools are for learning information and producing high scores on exams, not for learning about creative strengths and identity. After researching curriculum development and the use of drama in an educational setting, I compiled over 50 pieces of content to include on the SolarSPELL involving art, drama, music, movement, and most importantly, imagination. These resources will allow Peace Corps volunteers to explore additional ways to teach English in their schools, while also creating a classroom environment that allows for creative expression. All the content is compiled into one folder as "Teaching Resources", and is then broken down into seven sub- categories. In the first sub-category, Art Projects, there is a collection of several hands-on projects, many of which involve recyclable or readily available materials. These projects will allow for a greater understanding of conservation and "green" living, concepts that are crucial to the stability of these island nations. The next 5 categories are Drama Readings, Music, Movement, and Video, Group Exercises, Creative Writing, and Worksheets. The second sub- category is a collection of beginner-level "Reader's Theater" scripts. The third sub-category involves music and video to engage students in movement activities. The fourth sub-category is a compilation of group games and activities to help students express themselves and learn social skills. The fifth sub-category includes a collection of activities such as fill-in-the-blank story worksheets and journal prompts which will aid in creative thinking and the practice of the English language. The sixth sub-category involves a collection of worksheets that mainly focus on self-reflection and identity. The seventh and final sub-category, Content Guide and Information, works to explain the benefits of using of drama and creative play in the classroom, as well as strategies teachers can implement in order to further engage their students in dramatic learning and play. Overall, these pieces of content are meant to be used as resources for the Peace Corps volunteers in order to provide alternative ways to practice reading, writing, and speaking the English language, a critical part of education in the Pacific Islands.
ContributorsTaylor, Amanda Nicole (Author) / Hosman, Laura (Thesis director) / McAvoy, Mary (Committee member) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School for the Future of Innovation in Society (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
Theory Jam is a series of online, education videos that teach music theory in a fun, engaging way. Our project is a response to the growing need for successful online education content. It incorporates strategies for creating effective educational video content and engages with contemporary debates in the field of music theory surrounding the purpose of a music theory education.
ContributorsCannatelli, Joshua Bryce (Co-author) / Daval, Charles Joseph (Co-author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Scott, Jason (Committee member) / Tobias, Evan (Committee member) / Department of English (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Trailers are an effective tool used by marketing teams in the film industry to persuade people to spend money to see a movie. Their role in film marketing has changed and exponentially increased throughout the history of the medium, and their form is constantly evolving. While the core function of trailers is to advertise a finished product, they are created with a focused effort on grabbing an audience's attention and initiating an emotional interaction. The development of a feature film trailer by an organized marketing group is also an artistic venture that requires a high level of proficiency at editing and storytelling to effectively communicate the necessary elements of a film in an effort to persuade. Trailer making is a craft honed by an extraordinary amount of person-hours and intentionality, with a blend of plenty of diegetic and non-diegetic functions which exhibit the best parts of a movie. While trailers can suffer from hyperbolicism as well as excessive genre signaling, it's important to stand out and prove a product worthy of a customer's dollars especially in a film culture saturated with content. As marketing budgets continue to balloon in the entertainment industry, it seems that trailers will continue to be a mainstay of promoting art, and will evolve to fit any societal shifts they encounter.
ContributorsHolmgren, Devin Brent (Author) / Scott, Jason Davids (Thesis director) / Fortunato, Joseph (Committee member) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
There is a wide range of steps that go into making any film. Pre-production alone can take up to six months on feature-length films. The labor dedicated to bringing the director's vision to life can take over a year on long form projects. From concept to final cut, the process is simultaneously abstract and technical, demanding unique contributions from every member of the team. It is the director's job to make a film as entertaining as it can possibly be. This is done through careful planning put into the pre-production which is carried through to on-set production and post-production. The culmination of this hard work is the final film, but the process of making a film from the director's point of view can be seen through an important document known as the director's notebook. In a director's notebook, the creative process is captured through all the steps that go into making a film. The purpose of this creative project is to show the entire process of writing and directing a short film by documenting each step in a director's notebook to be shared alongside the final film, Shutter's Affection. Shutter's Affection is a narrative piece aiming to dissect the thought processes behind a serial killer. In this short, a photographer named Martin lives a blissful perfect life with his girlfriend, but soon finds his relationship with her isn't like it is in the photos he's captured of other couples going through their day to day activities. The director's notebook of Shutter's Affection documents all the steps of the creative process, from conception to shooting script, storyboard, and beyond.
ContributorsBender, Brenton James (Author) / Maday, Gregory (Thesis director) / Fortunato, Joseph (Committee member) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The advent of online video has opened many doors for amateur and experienced filmmakers alike, granting them the freedom to release their own content. However, with the abundance of videos on the web, even the best independent films and web series are unlikely to be successful online unless properly marketed. This thesis examines proven strategies web series creators can use to market their show, focusing specifically on viewer reach, online presence, and audience engagement. Points of discussion include distribution, promotion, search engine optimization, social media, and publicity.
ContributorsCotton, Shelby Ann (Author) / Bernstein, Gregory (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2013-12
Description
This thesis aims to enhance K-6 Education in the United States by developing recommendations for how technology is utilized in the classroom as a means to teach collaborative skills. By applying the technological capabilities we have today to the Common Core State Standards that are gradually being adopted and implemented, officials can improve the quality of education across the country and create classroom environments conducive to knowledge acquisition and skill development.
The research begins with the history of standards, starting with traditional outcome-based standards. It then delves into the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), which highlights the type of skills 21st century students are expected to develop and master by the time they enter college and careers. Next, it explores the hot topic of Education to this date: Common Core State Standards. In the midst of educational reform, these standards seek to add consistency across the nation in regards to what students should know at each grade level and also encourage teaching of the 21st century skills. This section briefly details the content of Common Core English Language Arts and Mathematics standards.
After summarizing P21 and Common Core, this report shifts into its focused 21st century skill: collaboration. As one of the 4 C’s that P21 and Common Core emphasize in their standards, it is imperative to research critical elements of collaboration as they relate to groups and teams of all ages. Even more specifically, collaboration is a practice that is becoming more and more standard in business across all industries, so it is a skill that is highly in demand for students to acquire. In regards to collaboration, Executive Vice President of Verizon, Bob Mudge, states, “companies are able to innovate much more quickly and even create solutions to problems that may not be prevalent issues yet” (Mudge 1). The standards expect that students will be prepared to collaborate in college and careers, so key elements of collaboration in those settings—in-person or virtual—need apply or be simplified to K-6 collaborative environments. This section also analyzes a case study experiment on young children about how technology functionality and design enables, encourages, or enforces collaboration.
Next, this thesis reviews three case studies that represent evolution in our understanding of technology’s role as a support system in teaching and learning collaboration. The first case study shows how simple handheld devices assisted in correcting weaknesses in a variety of collaborative and organizational skills. The second study utilizes interactive tabletop technology to realize the idea of tracking collaborative ability in real time through synchronized audio and touch recording. Finally, researchers assess the effectiveness of one student to one device (1:1) initiatives by gathering student-reported data before and after the program’s implementation, which largely speak to the direction of many schools’ technology strategies.
To supplement all of the secondary research above, the researcher of this thesis conducted interviews with nine K-6 teachers to gather their insights on collaboration and how they facilitate it. They explain how they use technology in their classroom to enhance the learning environment. Additionally, they give opinions on what could be done to make collaboration more easily taught and facilitated, as well as what would better develop their students’ collaborative skills.
The compilation of this information then leads to implications of what needs to be present, from a technology standpoint, to more effectively teach collaborative skills to our schoolchildren. This includes a brief industry analysis of a program that already exists, as well as recommendations for new technology that considers the research conducted throughout the paper. Another implication addressed centers on the instruction and facilitation of technology and the digital divide that can result from varying competency among teachers, which brings to light the need for proper technology development programs for educators.
The research begins with the history of standards, starting with traditional outcome-based standards. It then delves into the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), which highlights the type of skills 21st century students are expected to develop and master by the time they enter college and careers. Next, it explores the hot topic of Education to this date: Common Core State Standards. In the midst of educational reform, these standards seek to add consistency across the nation in regards to what students should know at each grade level and also encourage teaching of the 21st century skills. This section briefly details the content of Common Core English Language Arts and Mathematics standards.
After summarizing P21 and Common Core, this report shifts into its focused 21st century skill: collaboration. As one of the 4 C’s that P21 and Common Core emphasize in their standards, it is imperative to research critical elements of collaboration as they relate to groups and teams of all ages. Even more specifically, collaboration is a practice that is becoming more and more standard in business across all industries, so it is a skill that is highly in demand for students to acquire. In regards to collaboration, Executive Vice President of Verizon, Bob Mudge, states, “companies are able to innovate much more quickly and even create solutions to problems that may not be prevalent issues yet” (Mudge 1). The standards expect that students will be prepared to collaborate in college and careers, so key elements of collaboration in those settings—in-person or virtual—need apply or be simplified to K-6 collaborative environments. This section also analyzes a case study experiment on young children about how technology functionality and design enables, encourages, or enforces collaboration.
Next, this thesis reviews three case studies that represent evolution in our understanding of technology’s role as a support system in teaching and learning collaboration. The first case study shows how simple handheld devices assisted in correcting weaknesses in a variety of collaborative and organizational skills. The second study utilizes interactive tabletop technology to realize the idea of tracking collaborative ability in real time through synchronized audio and touch recording. Finally, researchers assess the effectiveness of one student to one device (1:1) initiatives by gathering student-reported data before and after the program’s implementation, which largely speak to the direction of many schools’ technology strategies.
To supplement all of the secondary research above, the researcher of this thesis conducted interviews with nine K-6 teachers to gather their insights on collaboration and how they facilitate it. They explain how they use technology in their classroom to enhance the learning environment. Additionally, they give opinions on what could be done to make collaboration more easily taught and facilitated, as well as what would better develop their students’ collaborative skills.
The compilation of this information then leads to implications of what needs to be present, from a technology standpoint, to more effectively teach collaborative skills to our schoolchildren. This includes a brief industry analysis of a program that already exists, as well as recommendations for new technology that considers the research conducted throughout the paper. Another implication addressed centers on the instruction and facilitation of technology and the digital divide that can result from varying competency among teachers, which brings to light the need for proper technology development programs for educators.
ContributorsPetrovich, Nicholas Hugh (Author) / Ostrom, Amy (Thesis director) / Ostrom, Lonnie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
This paper serves to identify, explore, and discover my personal creative process. I utilized Rosemarie Anderson's Intuitive Inquiry method, focusing on the change that would occur across all five cycles of my research experience. I conducted interviews of those who have had an impact in my growth, as well as understanding of my creative process or the elements which make it. I logged personal journal entries, to emphasize the daily experience I have with my process, outside of a written paper. This paper is written from the perspective of one woman's personal experience, and thus contains both formal research articles and informal and personal journal entries. Journal entries are interspersed with academic writing, to affirm the simultaneous personal nature and academic relevancy of the topic. I began my research with five themes to guide me in various directions, with the hope I would uncover more information along the way, leading to more paths to follow. During the course of study, three new themes were uncovered, reaction, relation, and restoration, and juxtaposed with other research and personal reflection. I then, based off these later themes and further research, developed a set of instructions for use beyond my undergraduate experience, specifically for places where I must act without the guidance of instructors. The three new themes that emerged had much in common with the themes from previous cycles. This leads me to believe that I have been aware of my process all along, and had yet to put it into words. This in itself is a remarkable light bulb moment, as is knowing that I may be more aware of my habits than I realize, if only I am to write them down and purposefully acknowledge them for what they are.
ContributorsWalls, Emma Jane (Author) / Roses-Thema, Cynthia (Thesis director) / Kaplan, Robert (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Video game culture, permeated for decades by blatant sexism and discrimination, is a toxic community for many individuals. Though its humble beginnings and early games did not overtly focus on the male gaze or demographic, troubled advertising, representations, and the lack of diversity within video game companies has formed the gaming culture into an increasingly hostile and unwelcoming place– especially for women. Those who identify as women or females are often harassed, heckled, and threatened with both verbal and physical violence. Game content and marketing continues to view women as objects of sexuality and violence rather than strong protagonists. Companies have brainwashed society to embrace their commonly held belief that men and boys are the only demographics that play and enjoy games, though this is empirically proven false. The aim of this project is to examine these offenses against women within the video game community– first by exploring video game history and how it fell into its toxic present state as well as the formation of the “gamer” identity and its ramifications for women. I then recount contemporary stories and issues of harassment against women within the community. The project also includes a short student survey that was sent out to gather more data on college-aged women and their gaming habits, which yielded important data supporting previous evidence citing specific gaming communities that struggle the most with these issues. The thesis is concluded by a look into the culture of game development and its hypermasculine nature as well as justification for why companies should care about the plight of women for both ethical and fiscal reasons.
ContributorsGulbransen, Alexis C. (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Ingram-Waters, Mary (Committee member) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Historically, television was based on forty years of hitting the “reset” button every week. While jokes can be episodic—such as your standard sitcom—an ongoing narrative must be serialized. Viewers unable to regularly tune-in week-by-week and those joining a serialized show late would often abandon the series, resulting in lowered ratings and potential cancellation. With Netflix’s season-long release model (beginning in 2013 with their original, House of Cards) you can watch the entire season immediately, which challenges whether the customary marketing campaigns appropriately serviced finding new viewers, or if the efforts adversely resulted in lower ratings.
Through the internet, long-established customs in traditional distribution and marketing are quickly becoming obsolete as audience expectations of content delivery are shifting within the digital age. Online distribution and marketing have proven to be viable models for Hollywood and independent filmmakers alike in building, refining, developing and retaining audiences. This paper examines digital distribution platforms (from open-access to streaming), revenue models (VOD “Video-On-Demand), SVOD “Subscription VOD”, AVOD “Advertisement VOD” and TVOD “Transactional VOD”), the digital shift and future of consumption patterns (the rise of mobile viewing and streaming), release models (appointment viewing vs. season-releases), the transition from episodic to serialization, as well as various practices and advancements in digital marketing.
From this study, I detail a marketing and distribution plan for my own project, “Kiss, the Chef” an eight-episode online series. I present potential distribution platforms to host the content, optimal release models for my serialized narrative, phases of revenue models to maximize windows of monetization and methods of digital marketing utilizing interactivity and social media.
Through the internet, long-established customs in traditional distribution and marketing are quickly becoming obsolete as audience expectations of content delivery are shifting within the digital age. Online distribution and marketing have proven to be viable models for Hollywood and independent filmmakers alike in building, refining, developing and retaining audiences. This paper examines digital distribution platforms (from open-access to streaming), revenue models (VOD “Video-On-Demand), SVOD “Subscription VOD”, AVOD “Advertisement VOD” and TVOD “Transactional VOD”), the digital shift and future of consumption patterns (the rise of mobile viewing and streaming), release models (appointment viewing vs. season-releases), the transition from episodic to serialization, as well as various practices and advancements in digital marketing.
From this study, I detail a marketing and distribution plan for my own project, “Kiss, the Chef” an eight-episode online series. I present potential distribution platforms to host the content, optimal release models for my serialized narrative, phases of revenue models to maximize windows of monetization and methods of digital marketing utilizing interactivity and social media.
ContributorsGoldman, Robert Taylor (Author) / Scott, Jason (Thesis director) / Maday, Gregg (Committee member) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
My thesis project entitled Petticoats for Petty Killers was a feature length screenplay intended to be a solid first draft in the area of screenwriting. The story follows a young woman named Lottie in Victorian Era London, as women in her class are murdered by a serial killer. When her best friend becomes a victim, Lottie takes it upon herself to dress up as a man and solve the crime. In order to complete this project, I began in an Introduction to Screenwriting course in order to understand the basics. From formatting, to story, and plot I learned the essentials of screenwriting. Though often lacking written detail, screenplays require a visualization of the actual film. My conception of the project came from murder mysteries, period pieces, and concepts involving hardheaded women head of their time. This included Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes, The Da Vinci Code, and Outlander. I researched the victorian era with Great Courses, read screenwriting books such as Save the Cat and The Writer’s Journey, and read screenplays for films. Most helpful was the former novel and the screenplay for Silence of the Lambs, as the story followed the same flow with a strong female protagonist. I spent time drafting outlines, treatments, and character development in order to keep a strong flow and dynamic character arcs. With the basics in place, I wrote the first twenty pages (the first act) a handful of times. The outline was perfected and written out into the full eighty-three pages. With a lot of exposition, stagnant characters, weird time jumps, and too much dialogue I redid the first act another two times. Finally, my director and I determined that further changes would be reserved for later drafts, and that this first draft of eighty-three pages was complete.
ContributorsLee, Samantha Morrow (Author) / Bernstein, Gregory (Thesis director) / Nascimento, Eliciana (Committee member) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05